Gaming

Dark Souls 2 review Takes everything we loved about the first game and refines it, without losing any of the challenge

Thief review Fantastically atmospheric in places, but will otherwise feel like a dumbed down experience for fans of the series

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 review Superb combat and deliciously gory action, but unwelcome stealth sections and uninspiring world design dampen this otherwise fine sequel

Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare review A brilliantly accessible and fun online shooter; but there's only one must-play mode plus consumable items and upgrades look unbalanced

Jazzpunk review A little expensive for such a short game, but Jazzpunk's brilliantly bizarre humour and off-the-wall ideas are worth the trip

Archos Gamepad 2 review A sequel that improves on the original, but the latest 3D games still challenge it

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze review A little rough around the edges, but this is a superb platformer with rock-hard level design and secrets galore

Toukiden: Age of Demons review Until a true Monster Hunter game arrives on Sony's handheld, Toukiden fills the void, but it lacks the charm of the game it tries to imitate

Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket review A simple, expedient and portable means of videoing your gameplay

Hearthstone review A brilliantly-streamlined take on the collectible card game and a free-to-play title that doesn't bog you down in microtransactions

The Novelist review The stealth mechanics feel a little superficial at times, but this moving exploration of family life is decision-based gaming at its best

Octodad: Dadliest Catch review Short but sweet, this hilarious tale of an octopus posing as a human will have you grinning from ear to ear in no time

Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse review A sound plot, excellent voice acting and great dialogue all help make this mystery one of our favourite recent adventure games